Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 22

Today I wanted to create something just for fun and decided to break open a few new products and some trusty old ones too. It's also been a while since I participated in a challenge so today I am indulging myself and playing just for me and joining in with the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 22, and the challenge this time around is to use Tim's Dimensional Cutting Pad, page 62 of Volume lll. The Curiosity Crew have created fabulous pieces to inspire you along your journey too.The Funkie Junkie Boutique is sponsoring this weeks challenge and there is also a fantastic prize courtesy of Tim and Mario too. I would also like to enter this piece into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is anything goes.Simon Says Stamp are offering a fabulous prize as always, thank you.

I decided to create an ATB using Eileen Hull's Cube/Block die, combined with Tim Holtz products and Wendy Vecchi's Archival Embossing Powders, I am in love with these! I began by adding Cracked Pistachio and Gathered Twigs Distress Paint to a non-stick craft sheet and spritzing with water and then mopping up the paint with my card and then drying with a heat tool.

My next layer was to add Embossing Paste over the new Tim Holtz Flourish Stencil and whilst the Embossing Paste was wet I sprinkled Tree Branch embossing powder over the top and then allowed it to dry completely. Once completely dry I then heated the embossing powder to melt, I love the raised textural feel this gives to my design, and I love adding layers. I then used Tim's technique with the movers and shapers heart die and added tissue tape behind to give an extra touch of detail. I also included some rusty wire to add a further layer of interest along with a salvaged doll, coloured with paints.

I added smaller hearts die cut from mountboard using Tim's new Heartfelt die, coloured each heart with Potting Soil Archival Ink and then sprinkled with Tree Branch embossing powder, removing some of the powder in places to add to the aged feel and I then melted the powder.

As I was looking through my cupboards I found this dome which was given to me by my dear blogging friend Candy some time ago and this seemed the perfect project for it! Thanks Candy. I added a touch of clear Tar Gel to the dome (a new addiction, thanks Lesley), which you can just make out here, the clear runs down the dome, love these and they add a touch more texture to the design.  I also added Remnant Rubs Words to the dome along with some rusty wire. I added a mini butterfly to the inside of the dome, die cut using the mini butterfly movers and shapers die, coloured with Potting Soil Archival Ink and sprinked with Tree Branch embossing powder. I also included a second salvaged doll.

On the two other sides I did not add any embossing just kept the paint effect for the background which I love, and I am loving the new Cracked Pistachio colour combined with Gathered Twigs. I die cut the letters for FLY using Tim Holtz Word Play die and again added Tree Branch embossing powder. I also included a heart die cut using the Heartfelt die along with an Arrow embellishment, and a touch of Remnant Rubs.

On the opposite side I have again added hearts coloured with Archival Ink and sprinkled with Tree Branch Embossing Powder and a heart charm for added interest. I have also echoed the heart shape with a piece of rusty wire, which I love, a new addiction of mine. A further arrow has been included wrapped with wire to coordinate with my design. I have to say I am quite pleased with how this one turned out and it was great to create just for fun!

A little close up shot so you can see the fantastic texture and dimension in my design using Tim's technique combined with Embossing Paste and powder.

We are coming to the end of our challenge at Art With Heart but this fits perfectly and I thought it was the perfect way to end the challenge and there are still a couple of days left to enter!

Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you enjoy this project as much as I did creating it. x x x

Stampendous / Eileen Hull ATB Blog Hop

We have a fabulous blog hop for you this week combining two great product ranges,Stampendous and Eileen Hull Dies.

There are fabulous prizes on offer too; three random winners will be chosen from all the blogs participating in the hop and from the randomly drawn winners there will also be one winner of a GRAND PRIZE. Two of the winners will receive Stampendous PenPattern Petal and PenPattern Flutter cling stamps, just like you’ll see on Kristine Reynolds amazing ATB sample. They’ll also receive enough pre-cut, premium matboard from Sizzix to make two boxes of your own, plus some extra pieces for fiddly bits! The GRAND PRIZE winner will receive the stamps as above, a whole package of matboard, AND the Sizzix die to cut your own ATB boxes!The comment deadline for the hop is Sunday March 8th 2015.

I decided to decorate two ATB's (Artist Trading Blocks) using Eileen Hull's fabulous Block Cube Die and  Blocks/Cubes Die (which has the smaller ATB), combined with images from Stampendous; Camera Elements, Vintage Press and Typewriter Alphabet stamp sets.

I also used another new product, to me anyway, AquaTint Inks, which I used to colour my background and then stamped the vintage camera image using Black Archival Ink. I also included a monocle and vintage pen nib adding rub on's to the top of the monocle for added interest.

I die cut letters from mountboard and then coloured with Cornflower Blue Archival Ink and then added the coordinated embossing powder, removing some of the powder from the edges to give an aged feel. I also included a vintage knob to open the smaller ATB to house a small gift, jewellery or chocolate perhaps.

I added stamping from the Vintage Press stamp set to this side of my ATB, I love the mix of vintage images. Again the background has been coloured with AquaTint inks.

Further stamping has been added to the smaller block using the Vintage Press stamps.

I have stamped the Typewriter Alphabet to the top of my block, keeping all the letters in place and using as a large stamp rather than separating each one.

To complete, I added a telephone embellishment and rubbed over some of the areas of the embellishment with silver wax.

Should you get lost along the way Stampendous will post a “cumulative” link list of links so far on Saturday, February 28th and Saturday, March 7th. Then you can check your progress. Simply stop by the Stampendous blog for more details.

Click here for Monday's links

Click here for Tuesday's links

Click here for Wednesday's links

The blogs participating today are:

Amy Hurley-Purdie

Lea Kimmel
Pam Hornschu

Eileen Hull

Amy Bowerman

Tracy Evans (me) 
Lisa Hoel
Nicole Wright

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x

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Artistic Outpost Monthly Blog Hop

It's time for our monthly blog hop with Artistic Outpost and the theme this month is BOOKS.

I decided to showcase the fabulous WONDERLAND COLLAGE stamp set on an accordion which I brayered with Broken China Distress Paint, using a light touch to leave some of the white areas exposed.

I stamped the rabbit image onto the background using black Archival Ink and added splattters of Fired Brick Distress Paint to the background along with painted circles using the top of a lid from my desk. I love the pop of red against the pale blue backdrop. I also included a small talk sticker "live, create, tell the story" to the bottom of the page.

I added Alice to the central panel along with a die cut heart which I painted red to coordinate with the red splatters and painty circles.

The clock face from the stamp set has been stamped on the last page of my accordion and for added interest I also included Game Spinners, die cut painted heart and more splatters of paint. I also included a Remnant Rub "a little story" which seemed a perfect fit for this months theme.

My fellow design team members have also created projects to inspire you further along the blog hop:-

Terry

Shari

Tracy (me)

Gerrie

Kate

Lisa

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x

Snow Much Fun

Today I am showcasing the SKATING EMPORIUM stamp set from Artistic Outpost.

The background has been coloured with Distress Inks and I have added embossing paste through a stars layering stencil to add texture and dimension to my design. Once I applied the embossing paste I then added clear embossing powder and allowed to dry, once dry I then melted the powder, lovely technique from Pamellia.

I die cut two baubles from white card and then added stamping to each bauble along with shading using Broken China Distress Ink and then flicking the background with water to add blotches. I also added die cut WINTER to the top and bottom of my design.

This close up picture highlights the wonderful texture from the embossing.

I added two banners behind the focal image and once again added stencilled stars along with the sentiment "Snow much Fun!".

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Karen Burniston Pop it Ups Designer Challenge - Artsy or Cutesy

Morning all, I am back today with my second post as a Guest Designer for Karen Burniston's Monthly Designer Challenge and today I am showcasing the fabulous TAGS PIVOT CARD die. If you would like to see yesterday's card using the HEART PIVOT CARD die you can find that HERE.

Once again I have gone for an Artsy approach creating a multi layered background using stencils and paint. I began by brayering the background of my card with Broken China Distress Paint using light strokes to leave some of the white areas visible. I then added stencilled areas to the background using white paint and Weathered Wood Distress Ink through an arrows layering stencil. I love adding layers to my design. I added the fabulous clock die cut using the CLOCK AND GEARS die which I know is going to be one of those dies I use over and over again. This time around I die cut from metal foil tape applied black paint to the surface, allowed to dry for a few minutes and then removed the excess paint and I then added Alcohol Inks to the top. I die cut the clock image several times and also cut the clock in half and added two halves to the front and pivot.

The inside of the card has also been coloured with Distress Paint and again further layers added with stencils. I have also added more of the clock die cuts along with the gears again all cut from metal foil tape.

These pivot cards are great fun and I love the movement they give to a design. You can see Karen working her magic HERE in one of her latest videos.

This card was created with my nephew in mind who will be 21 this year hence I used numbers in my design combined with the clock and gears. I also added "Time To Celebrate" using label letters along with Remnant Rubs for added interest.

The TAG PIVOT CARD die comes with coordinating dies making it so easy to decorate and the tags in this die set could be used on so many other ways and on so many designs.

A few pieces of tape have also been included in the background once again for a further layer of interest and texture.

The challenge team have created fabulous designs to inspire you further, all of which you can see HERE.

Thanks so much for popping by and leaving a comment. Tracy x x x

Karen Burniston Pop it Ups Designer Challenge - Artsy or Cutesy

I was absolutely thrilled when I received an email from Karen asking if I would like to be a Guest for her monthly challenge, of course the answer was yes and I have had great fun creating my cards for this months challenge. I have a card today and one tomorrow using a fabulous range of dies designed by Karen Burniston, all available from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

My first card uses the fabulous HEART PIVOT CARD die which I absolutely love as I love using hearts in many of my designs and it was definitely ARTSY all the way for me with this card. I used kraft card as my base and added hearts using a layering stencil and Crackled Texture Paste. Once completely dry I coloured with Distress Inks and Distress Stain to highlight the cracks. The HEART PIVOT CARD die comes with 6 coordinating dies and I used the hearts dies to add coordinating hearts to the front adding one of the larger hearts to the pivot giving it a rusty appearance and adding rusty wire randomly around the outside of the heart. I love the texture of this piece it is so tactile.

What I love about the PIVOT dies is that they add wonderful movement and dimension to a design, adding more interest and a surprise element to any design. I continued with the stencilling on the inside of the card this time using Distress Inks and I also included random stamping along with a piece of chicken wire for further added texture.

I will do step by steps for the rust technique over the coming weeks.

Karen has a video HERE if you would like to see step by steps for these fabulous dies.

I thought this would make a perfect Valentines card for my husband so I also included 14 using numeric alpha parts and I also included a few remnant rubs for a further layer of interest.

I love the little keyhole that also comes with the HEART PIVOT CARD die which I added here die cut from black card adding a touch of wax to the top to highlight.

I completed my design with one of my favourite sentiments.

The challenge team have created fabulous designs for you this month to inspire you further, all of which you can see HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x

Eileen Hull Art With Heart Challenge

The beginning of a new month sees the start of another fabulous challenge with Eileen Hull and the Art With Heart Challenge and this month our challenge is PROJECTS TO LOVE.

I wanted to create an artsy piece this time around and I was inspired to use my DecoArt products and was also inspired by Andy Skinner and his many rust techniques, two of which are HERE and HERE.

My first piece is an ATB using Eileen Hull's Block/Cube die decorated to give a rust finish to the background and I then added stencilling using Tim Holtz Layering Stencils and Titan Buff paint, I love the contrast of the Titan Buff against the rusted background. I then die cut four hearts to add around each side of the ATB colouring with DecoArt paints once again and adding scratches in the paint to add to that grungy feel.

Die cut hearts have also been added to the top for added interest and dimension along with two wooden hearts and metal cogs. I also included some rusty wire, randomly following the shape of the heart, I will be doing this again I love the addition of the wire, which I stapled into place to secure.

Chicken wire has been added to the background of each side for added texture and interest to my design. I love using different layers and textures in my designs.

I also added rusty wire to the hearts decorating each side of my ATB and once again I secured in place using a tiny attacher. I also added a touch of background stamping here and there for a further layer of interest.

I then created a coordinated card. The background piece to the card has been painted with DecoArt Media Acrylics, Cerulean Blue and Tital Buff mixed together and then painted onto white card and I then aged a little with a mix of Quinacridone gold and Paynes Grey mixed together (from Andy Skinner video) to grungy the colour up a little. I then added a shadow box to the card die cut using Eileen Hull's suitcase die.

I also added three hearts to the inside, one heart created from rusty wire which I decorated with tissue wrap and added Glossy Accents to the inside to give strength. I also included a wooden heart and a die cut heart along with cog, memo pin and chitchat sticker.

Netting has also been added for a further texture which I coloured with DecoArt paints and I also included more chicken wire, I love this stuff!

A sentiment and a touch of stencilling to the background completes my card.

If you would like to join in our challenge pop along HERE to add your artwork we would love to see how you are inspired this month.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x